Wheatstone bridge

noun

Wheat·​stone bridge ˈ(h)wēt-ˌstōn- How to pronounce Wheatstone bridge (audio)
 chiefly British  -stən-
: an electrical bridge consisting of two branches of a parallel circuit joined by a galvanometer and used for determining the value of an unknown resistance in one of the branches

Examples of Wheatstone bridge in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In his writings, Hubbard described the E-meter as a Wheatstone bridge, an electrical circuit designed in 1833 by Samuel Hunter Christie to measure an unknown resistance. IEEE Spectrum, 31 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Wheatstone bridge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

after Sir Charles wheatstone

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Wheatstone bridge was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near Wheatstone bridge

Cite this Entry

“Wheatstone bridge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Wheatstone%20bridge. Accessed 5 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

Wheatstone bridge

noun
Wheat·​stone bridge
ˌhwēt-ˌstōn-, ˌwēt-, chiefly British -stən-
: a bridge for measuring electrical resistances that consists of a conductor joining two branches of a circuit

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